The End of the Coalition

On 21 May 1945 Attlee telephoned Churchill regarding the end of the coalition

Churchill decided it was better to end and have another election quicker as it was better for the Conservatives

Attlee was not optimistic - just hoped that the Conservatives would have a reduced minority

Coalition came to an end on 23 May 1945 - Churchill formed a 'caretaker' cabinet until an election could be held

During the coalition, bonds had been made - Labour MPs had served with Conservative MPs during the war - Churchill was fond of Attlee and Bevin - Attlee and Eden got on well

Both front benches essentially agreed on foreign policy and of their relationship with the USA and that welfare was priority at home

Churchill's 'caretaker' government introduced child allowances

Butler education act of 1944 raised school leaving age to 14

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General Election - 1945

Conservatives relied heavily on Churchill to win them the election

Attlee campaigned up and down the country - he was no push-over

They each had conflicting personalities

4 June 1945 - Churchill's famous Gestapo speech

Many Conservatives felt that this speech damaged their opportunity of winning

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Why did Labour Win?

Consistantly ahead in the opinion polls

fear that unemployment would return under the Conservatives

'sins of the past' were heaped onto the Tory party

circulation of the Daily Mirror - which had shifted it's allegance to Labout just before the war

Labour were far better organised than the Conservatives - maybe because they were not expecting to win?

Labour campaign was more professional

mood change - most believed that the state could provide a fairer nation

Attlee highlighted that the Conservatives were a 'class party' representing 'property and priviledge'

Conservatives seemed old-fashioned

Churchill used scare tactics - Gestapo speech - to try and gain votes but failed - this was insulting to the supporters of socialism

Laski tried to convince Attlee to resign but failed

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Who Won the Election?

In almost every region, Labour did well

convincing majority in London

slight majority in the South - usually Tory

In the North, Midlands and Wales - Labour were comfortably ahead

Scotland was closer than expected (Conservatives were nearly eliminated in the 21st century!)

Labour's programme could therefore be carried out, if the British economy allowed it

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Forming a Labour Government

Attlee and Churchill were both very surprised with the result

Attlee immediately faced a plot to replace him - led by Herbert Morrison - suggested an election among the MPs - which he expected to win as Attlee had risen to be PM by default - there was no better candidate in other words

Bevin supported Attlee - told him to go to the Palace before Morrison could organise anything

Received King's Commission to form a government

'Today we go into action. Today may rightly be regarded as D-Day in the battle for the New Britain' - John Freeman - new young labour MP